Definition of robotics（机器人技术）
To define a robot in a way that is generally acceptable to every manufacturer and user is difficult. However, the importance of a clear definition becomes apparent when numbers of robots in use in various countries and industries are counted and reported. In addition, single purpose machines, often called hard-automation（刚性自动化）, have some features which make them look like robots. Without some definition, the number of robots reportedly in use in Japan would total over 85000. If the definition developed by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) is applied to the 85000 machines, only approximately 12000 would qualify as（取得…资格） robots. The definition developed by the Robot Institute of America, a group within SME, composed of robot-equipment manufactures, is as fellows:
A robot is a reprogrammable multifunctional manipulator（操纵器） designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motion for the performance of a variety of tasks.
The key words are reprogrammable and multifunctional, since most single-purpose machines do not meet these two requirements.
Reprogrammable means that the machine must be capable of being reprogrammed to perform a new or different task or to be able to change significantly the motion of the arm or tooling. Multifunction emphasizes the fact that a robot must be able to perform many different functions, depending on the program and tooling currently in use. A variation on this definition which more clearly describes the intelligence（智力） of current robots is as follows:
A robot is a one-armed, blind idiot（白痴） with limited memory which cannot speak, see, or hear.
Despite the tremendous（极大的） capability of currently available robots, even the most poorly prepared worker is better equipped than a robot to handle many of the situations which occur in the work cell. Workers, for example, realize when they have dropped a part on the floor or when a parts feeder is empty. Without a host of （许多）sensors a robot simply does not have any of this information; and even with the most sophisticated（复杂的） sensor system available, a robot cannot match an experienced operator. The design of a good automated work cell therefore requires the use of peripheral equipment（外围设备） interfaced to the robot controller to even approximate the sensory capability of human operator.
The robot system
At present, the difference between the robot system and the work cell system is quite clear. The robot system includes only the robot hardware, whereas the work cell system includes the robot system components plus all the additional equipments required to produce the product.
As manufactures start integrating(使…相结合) robot automation into increasingly complex production system, the distinction between the robot system and the robot will be programmed and controlled by a computer-aided design and manufacturing system (CAD/CAM). In others, the tooling on the robot arm will be changed automatically by the system, depending on the needs of the production process. A study of the basic robot system is the logical（合乎逻辑的） place to begin in order to understand the current state-of-the-art（技术发展水平） and possible future development.
Vocabulary
1.manipulator n. 操作器；控制器
2.peripheral a. 外围的；周围的
3.idiot n. 白痴
4.integrate v. 使成为一体；使结合起来
5.hard automation 刚性自动化
6.a host of 许多
7.sophisticated a. 复杂的
